shift to new areas and activities. Faeries don’t spend The Ways of much time thinking about where they came from or where they are headed. The present is the only thing of consequence to them. the Faeries Faeries don’t experience the passage of time in the way Good and evil have no real meaning for faeries. They mortals do, who often race to fill their moments before don’t subscribe to notions of a moral compass or even Father Death comes to call. They are aware that time understand what “doing the right thing” means. Faeries passes; but they simply don’t care. It’s not uncommon can do great good: they might help an impoverished for a faerie to seek out a once-friendly mortal, only to family by bringing food or pitch in with chores while be surprised to learn that the person has been dead and the mortals sleep. But they might also do things that gone for centuries. Faeries might speak of events that by any definition would be considered evil. Faeries occurred two thousand years ago as if they happened steal children from their beds, torment horses, just yesterday. bring sickness and plagues, and play terrible tricks, sometimes resulting in maiming or death, on those Body and Soul who offend them. Immortality comes with a price. When a faerie dies, Mortals who deal with faeries should exercise its soul dies with it, remaining trapped in the flesh and great caution, for theirs is a perilous road fraught fading as the body decays. There is no life beyond death, with danger. Faeries expect deference and honor, but no return to the mortal world short of magic. For this they abide by complex rules and customs and are reason, faeries avoid danger when they can and, if faced willful beings with changeable natures. People who with death, might try to bargain for their lives. show proper respect might earn a faerie’s friendship, while those who give offense, wittingly or no, incur terrible wrath. Faeries also favor mortals who show Minor Faeries industriousness, virtue, kindness, and good humor. The complexity of faerie society distributes power They despise the stuffy, arrogant, and cruel, and use unevenly across the peoples who make up this rich their magic to punish such offenders. and varied group. Generally, the elves rule as lords People who live near the borderlands do well to leave and ladies, becoming kings and queens of the hidden offerings of food and wine to placate the faeries and kingdoms or filling the courts of such people. Others earn their goodwill. Faeries who take a liking to mortals find their place in faerie society based on their actions, might reward them with small gifts, assistance with their willingness to cooperate with others, and the magic certain tasks, and good luck. However, mortals who at their command. Most are folk of little magical ability receive their help should never offer thanks or Samplerewards, and file fall into the nebulous category of minor faeries. for doing so is the surest route to giving offense and Such peoples tend to be small, hence the “wee folk” turning amity to spite. moniker, and steer clear of the more powerful members of their kind. They lend aid when needed but otherwise Demonic Heritage keep to themselves and others of their kind. As explained in The Hunger in the Void, the first faeries Having been troubled by mortals in ancient times, appeared after the genies sealed off creation from the these lesser faeries prefer to avoid human contact and Void. These new beings were shreds of the divine soul, remain unseen. Some can become invisible, while trapped in the new reality. Gaining form and substance, others can alter their appearance to blend in with their they assumed a variety of shapes, though not wholly surroundings. Others might adopt animal shapes or turn random, unlike demons. Instead, they took on the forms themselves into twigs and leaves, small stones, or other of elves, goblins, and all the other kinds of faeries that innocuous forms to avoid detection and capture. exist today. Timeless and Eternal More Faeries Short of violence or mishap, faeries can live forever. In addition to those presented here, other faeries Once they come of age, they grow no older, physically have been detailed in several supplements. remaining the same. Most faeries encountered today Terrible Beauty presents asrai, fachen, imps, and more. Exquisite Agony details the devils, those have lived for centuries. Yet, while they have all the time dark faeries who caper and cavort in Hell. in the world to grow wise in the ways of living, they can accumulate only so much knowledge. Much of what they learned in the past fades over time as their interests 2 Immune damage from disease; charmed, diseased Illuminate An atomy sheds light in a 1-yard radius. Sample Wee Folk Iron Vulnerability An atomy is impaired while it is in contact with iron. Here are some of the more common minor faeries found on Rûl and in the hidden kingdoms bound to SWARM OF ATOMIES DIFFICULTY 10 these lands. Size 1 faerie (swarm) Perception 10 (+0); shadowsight Atomy Defense 12; Health 10; Insanity 0; Corruption 0 The smallest of the fair folk, smaller even than pixies, Strength 5 (–5), Agility 12 (+2), Intellect 8 (–2), Will 9 (–1) 8; flier atomies stand 1-inch tall and appear as naked adolescent Speed Immune damage from disease; charmed, dazed, deafened, children with bright butterfly wings and mops of diseased, frightened, grabbed, immobilized, prone, colorful hair. Individual atomies pose little danger and slowed, stunned are frequently encountered by travelers through the Illuminate A swarm of atomies sheds light in a 1-yard radius. Multitude A swarm takes half damage from effects that borderlands and hidden kingdoms. They are curious use an attack roll and double damage from effects that and playful, and might pull on hair or nip a traveler require it to make a challenge roll. Spell Defense A swarm of atomies takes half damage from to get a reaction, which they always find hilarious. spells. When a creature attacks the swarm with a spell, However, if a creature harms an atomy, all others in the the swarm imposes 1 bane on the attack roll and makes area gather into a swarm and use their magic to punish the challenge roll to resist the attack with 1 boon. Revulsion Creatures that are not swarms are impaired the offender. while in the swarm’s space or within 1 yard of it. Atomies can laugh but do not speak, instead Iron Vulnerability A swarm of atomies is impaired while it is in contact with iron. As well, the swarm loses Spell communicating through hand gestures. They Defense for as long as it remains in contact with iron and understand Elvish, though. for 1 minute after. ATOMY DIFFICULTY — ATTACK OPTIONS Gnashing Teeth (melee) +2 with 1 boon (1d3, or 1 if the Size 1/60 faerie swarm is injured) Perception 10 (+0); shadowsight Defense 12; Health 1; Insanity 0; Corruption 0 SPECIAL ATTACKS Strength 1 (–9), Agility 12 (+2), Intellect 8 (–2), Will 9 (–1) Maddening Light One sighted creature in the swarm’s space Speed 8; flier or within 1 yard of it must get a success on a Will challenge roll or gain 1 Insanity. The creature is not frightened from gaining Insanity in this way; it is instead compelled for a number of rounds equal to its Insanity total. END OF THE ROUND SampleSwarming file Faeries Each creature that isn’t a swarm and that is in the swarm’s space or within 1 yard of it must get a success on an Agility challenge roll or take 1d3 damage and become slowed for 1 round. Bauchan When other faeries fled for the safety offered by the hidden kingdoms, the bauchans stayed behind. These faeries resented withdrawing from the world and giving over their ancestral lands to the unworthy. So they remained and used their magic to torment mortals. Bauchans wage their private war against one person at a time. They usually seek out individuals who display some flaw in character, such as greed, boorishness, or anger. On finding such a person, a bauchan lays a curse on the object of its scorn. Wherever such cursed individuals go, the bauchans follow, heaping trouble on their heads until the mortals die or find a way to lift the curse. Bauchans complicate lives, stealing small things, poisoning relationships, and causing mishaps. They always welcome a fight and gladly wrestle their victims into submission to prove who is in charge. They might eventually take pity on those they torment and ease their 3 BAUCHAN DIFFICULTY 5 Size 1/2 faerie Perception 11 (+1); shadowsight Defense 13; Health 22; Insanity 2; Corruption 3 Strength 12 (+2), Agility 12 (+2), Intellect 9 (–1), Will 13 (+3) Speed 10 Immune damage from disease; charmed, diseased Protective Curse A bauchan takes half damage from attacks made by a creature it has cursed. Spell Defense A bauchan takes half damage from spells. When a creature attacks the bauchan with a spell, the bauchan imposes 1 bane on the attack roll and makes the challenge roll to resist the attack with 1 boon. Iron Vulnerability A bauchan is impaired while it is in contact with iron. As well, the bauchan loses Spell Defense for as long as it remains in contact with iron and for 1 minute after. ATTACK OPTIONS Fist (melee) +2 with 2 boons (1d3 and Steal) Steal The bauchan makes an Agility challenge roll.